1. Technical Field of the Invention This invention relates to wireless telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method that enables a subscriber to obtain location and other status information about one or more designated mobile subscribers through a Subscriber Information Service Center (SISC).
2. Description of Related Art
There are many times that it would be useful for a calling subscriber to know the general location of a called mobile subscriber. Presently, when a calling subscriber calls a mobile subscriber, the calling subscriber does not know ahead of time where the mobile subscriber is located. Therefore, if the mobile subscriber has moved out of the local area, the call is connected as a long distance call, even when the calling subscriber did not intend to place a long distance call. Additionally, many subscribers will choose not to place a call if they know that the subscriber they want to call is traveling, and may not be back in town yet. Since they have no way of checking the mobile subscriber""s location, they do not place the call, and the system operator loses revenue.
Businesses with traveling salespeople or delivery people also have a need to keep track of where their personnel are located. For salespeople, it is often intrusive to receive a call during a sales meeting with a potential customer. For delivery people, it may be inconvenient or dangerous for them to try to answer a telephone call when delivering goods. Therefore, it would be advantageous for businesses to be able to locate their mobile personnel without having to place a call.
The prior art is replete with patents on methods of locating mobile stations. However, all of these prior art patents have been oriented towards methods of determining a precise location of the mobile station, for example, to meet 911 emergency location requirements. There is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of any system or method of providing a subscriber with location and other status information for one or more designated mobile subscribers. The present invention provides such a system and method.
In one aspect, the present invention is a system in a wireless telecommunications network for providing a first subscriber with location information for a mobile subscriber. The system includes means within the network for receiving an information request from the first subscriber, the information request requesting location information for the mobile subscriber. The system also includes means within the network for determining a location for the mobile subscriber; means within the network for converting the location for the mobile subscriber to a corresponding common geographic name; and means for sending the common geographic name to the first subscriber through a packet-switched network. The packet-switched network may be the Internet, and the information may be posted on a Web site that is accessed by the requesting subscriber to retrieve the information. The requesting subscriber may request information for a plurality of mobile subscribers that are identified in an information profile.
In another aspect, the present invention is a method in a wireless telecommunications network of providing a first subscriber with location information for a mobile subscriber. The method includes the steps of receiving in the network, an information request from the first subscriber, said information request requesting location information for the mobile subscriber; determining within the network, a location for the mobile subscriber; converting within the network, the location for the mobile subscriber to a corresponding common geographic name; and sending the common geographic name to the first subscriber through a packet-switched network. The information request may be in an e-mail message from the first subscriber requesting the information, and the information may be sent to the requesting subscriber via e-mail or by posting the information on a Web page that is accessed by the requesting subscriber.
In another aspect, the present invention is a Subscriber Information Service Center (SISC) in a wireless telecommunications network having a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) serving a mobile subscriber and a Home Location Register (HLR) storing location information for the mobile subscriber. The SISC provides location and status information about the mobile subscriber to a requesting subscriber. The SISC includes a first signaling mechanism for receiving a request for information about the mobile subscriber from the requesting subscriber and sending the requested information to the requesting subscriber over a packet-switched network. A second signaling mechanism retrieves location information for the mobile subscriber from the HLR. The second signaling mechanism may also include means for retrieving from the MSC, status information relating to an ongoing call by the mobile subscriber. The SISC may also include a proxy device that provides an address usable in the packet-data network to the first subscriber, and that maps circuit-switched signaling used by the first subscriber into packet-switched signaling used by the packet-switched network, thereby enabling the first subscriber to request information for the mobile subscriber when the first subscriber is a second-generation (2G) mobile subscriber.